Share this page!

Enter URL or ID to Unroll

You can paste full URL like: https://x.com/threadreaderapp/status/1644127596119195649
or just the ID like: 1644127596119195649

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

  1. On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
  2. Click again on or Share Via icon
  3. Click on Copy Link to Tweet
  4. Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
  5. More info at Twitter Help
Judd Legum Profile picture
@JuddLegum
Nov 29, 2023 • 11 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X
Scrolly
1. Earlier this month, a mysterious woman appeared before a school board in Texas and claimed that, when she was 11, she READ A SCHOLASTIC BOOK THAT SPARKED A DEBILITATING PORN ADDICTION.

We investigated.

And it's ABSOLUTELY WILD what is happening.

🧵 Image
2. The woman was 20-year-old Lanah Burkhardt.

Burkhardt said after reading a Scholastic book that depicted a "single kiss," she "looked for other books that gave me pleasure." This "led to internet searches" that she will "never forget."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
3. Burkhardt cited her story as a reason to restrict access to Drama, a novel published by Scholastic. The book includes this image of two people kissing: Image
4. But Burkhardt went further, arguing that Conroe should remove all Scholastic books from schools and stop hosting Scholastic book fairs.

According to Burkhardt, "getting rid of Scholastic books and their book fairs will inevitably protect kids."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
4. Burkhardt's appearance was promoted by SkyTree Book Fairs, a newly formed organization marketing itself as "an alternative to the sexually explicit content distributed in Scholastic's book fairs." Image
5. SkyTree Book Fairs presents itself as an independent non-profit. But it appears to be a hastily assembled offshoot of Brave Books, which publishes children's books by right-wing pundits

The president of SkyTree Book Fairs was recently an "Executive Assistant" at Brave Books Image
6. Burkhardt's appearance at the Conroe school board was also promoted by Brave Books. The company called it a "must watch" and a "powerful message that needs to be heard."

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
7. Neither Brave Books nor Burkhardt disclosed that Burkhardt is an employee of Brave Books. According to her LinkedIn profile, Burkhardt is the company's "public relations coordinator." Image
8. The Conroe school board, after listening to Burkhardt's story, voted to restrict access to Drama from all students in the 8th grade and below. One of the school board members, Melissa Dungan, suggested replacing Scholastic with SkyTree Book Fairs. Image
9. More on Brave Books/SkyTree and their scheme to replace Scholastic with kids' books written by right-wing Pizzagate conspiracy theorists in today's newsletter

popular.info/p/mysterious-w…
10. For UPDATES and more accountability journalism, subscribe to Popular Information.

It's free to sign up.

popular.info/subscribe

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
　

Keep Current with Judd Legum

Judd Legum Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @JuddLegum

Judd Legum Profile picture
Dec 15
1. Measles is ravaging South Carolina.

Over 100 people infected, and hundreds more in quarantine.

In response, RFK Jr., the nation's top public health official, has been SILENT

But it's much worse than that.

popular.info/p/as-measles-r…
2. In a March 11 interview on Fox News, Kennedy Jr. claimed the MMR vaccine “does cause deaths every year,” including “all the illnesses that measles itself causes, encephalitis and blindness, et cetera.”

(According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Kennedy’s claims are false.)
3. In a March 3 interview on Fox Nation, Kennedy Jr. said that it is “very very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person.” Therefore, the best way to prevent measles is “to keep themselves healthy.”

Healthy people can contract and die from measles.
Read 7 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Dec 11
1. The AI industry has kicked off a $100 million+ scheme to influence the 2026 midterm elections

While they claim it's a "bipartisan" effort, it has all the markings of a campaign to benefit Trump and the GOP

🧵

popular.info/p/the-ai-indus…
2. The AI political influence campaign, known as Leading the Future, launched its first two ads yesterday. One of the ads PROMOTES a Republican running for Congress in Texas. The other one ATTACKS a Democrat running for Congress in New York. Image
Image
3. When Leading the Future was launched, the group said it would support Democrats and Republicans who opposed AI regulation.

Trump's political operation was incensed, calling it a "slap in the face" Image
Read 7 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Dec 9
1. Paramount's hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros exposes Jared Kushner's game

It's not a private equity fund. It's an influence peddling operation.

It's spelled out on page 42 of Paramount's new SEC filing.

popular.info/p/kushner-and-…
2. Paramount says its hostile takeover bid is structured to avoid review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)

Even though the Saudis and other Middle Eastern governments are putting up $24 BILLION -- most of the equity financing.
3. Paramount says they've avoided any regulatory hurdles because Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi have voluntarily agreed to waive their governance rights. And one other party has agreed to waive governance rights: JARED KUSHNER. Image
Read 6 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Dec 3
1. Kushner's trip to Moscow yesterday was not just unethical; it was illegal.

You cannot accept millions from foreign governments and simultaneously conduct diplomacy for the U.S.

It's right in the Constitution.

popular.info/p/kushners-mos…
2. Kushner is trying to evade legal restrictions by not accepting a formal role in the administration.

But the DOJ is clear: It's not what you SAY, it's what you DO

Kushner is acting like a Special Government Employee so legally, he's a SGE
3. Kushner is engaged in activities that can ONLY be conducted by government officials. The Logan Act bars private citizens from engaging in negotiations w/foreign governments w/o authorization. Kushner is acting under Trump’s direction, and that creates a host of legal issues.
Read 8 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 25
1. In Tennessee, public libraries have closed for a week to facilitate a Trump-inspired book purge

Tennessee's Secretary of State ordered most of the state's public librarians to remove children's books w/LGBTQ characters

popular.info/p/tennessee-pu…
2. Hargett has cited Trump's executive order “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism." Executive orders are not federal law and generally do not apply to state or local governments.

Tennessee libraries do receive some federal funding, but not for book purchases.
3. In the letters, Hargett singled out a children’s book called Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown. The book, which was written by a straight, cisgender man, does not feature any LGBTQ characters. It is based on a childhood experience of the author in which he tried on his mom's clothes.Image
Read 6 tweets
Judd Legum Profile picture
Nov 25
1. EXCLUSIVE

Musk’s xAI has secretly built its AI supercomputer, Colossus, using Chinese transformers, leaving it vulnerable to espionage or sabotage

Colossus performs sensitive work for the U.S. military

oligarchwatch.substack.com/p/musks-ai-sup…
2. For more exclusive reporting about the world's wealthiest and most powerful people, subscribe to Oligarch Watch.

It's free to sign up.

oligarchwatch.substack.com/subscribe
3. An April report published by the security firm Gladstone AI noted that Chinese transformers "can be used as back-doors for sabotage operations. Indeed back-door electronics are known to have been installed in Chinese-made transformers.”
Read 6 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

Send Email!

:(